Creswick faces a tough run with Waubra the first hurdle

By
TIM O 'CONNOR

CRESWICK coach Len Watson knows his team needs to produce something special if it is to reach a third-straight Central Highlands Football League finals series.

CRESWICK coach Len Watson knows his team needs to produce something special if it is to reach a third-straight Central Highlands Football League finals series.

Ben Moran adds some strength to Creswick this weekend as one of three changes to the senior side.

While 10th and only a game outside the top eight, it is the Wickers’ run home that is the most concerning.

And it begins this Saturday against Waubra.

Creswick takes on five top eight teams in the remaining eight games of the season, with the Roos (second), Buninyong (third), Bungaree (first) part of a big three weeks for the red, white and black. Reigning premiers Hepburn (fifth) and in-form Gordon (sixth) are also on the horizon.

“We will definitely need to cause a couple of upsets otherwise the numbers just don’t stack up,” Watson said.

“In a perfect world, I would hope to pick up an upset in the next three weeks. Are we playing well enough? We haven’t shown that so it is up to us.”

Watson said his side needed to be focused on winning the contested ball.

“We have had lapses in periods of matches this year that have hurt us. We cannot afford those against the top sides,” he said.

Watson and selectors have made three changes to the team that thumped Smythesdale last weekend, with Jack Marshman and Rhys Antonio up from the under-17.5s and Ben Moran an inclusion from the reserves.

The Wickers come up against a Waubra side that has strung together five-straight wins and is starting to hit its straps after plenty of injuries to key players in the early part of the year.

Jacob Spolding and Ryan Philbey are back after missing the win over Clunes at the weekend, while Tom Molloy is promoted from the seconds.